Disclaimer: Please note that the Newhall School District did not make their Zoom meeting publicly viewable and the information presented in the summary was obtained through an audio recording. It is unfortunate that the Newhall School District does not keep an archive of their meetings.
To navigate to a specific part of the video, simply click on the timestamp links below. Each timestamp corresponds to a different section of the video, allowing you to jump to the parts that interest you the most easily.
00:00:00 In this section, the speaker presents data on student demographics and mobility within the Newhall School District. The data includes a forecast for student enrollment based on birth rates and previous trends, as well as correlations between zip codes and student class size. The speaker also discusses mobility factors, such as losing or gaining students due to housing changes, and notes that the district is not losing many students to these factors. The data presented is based on established neighborhoods within the district and the speaker emphasizes the importance of taking these factors into account when analyzing student demographics. Finally, the speaker briefly touches on development in the area.
00:05:00 In this section of the Newhall School District Board Meeting, the speaker discusses the progress of new developments in the high points projects, and how they will affect the district in terms of student enrollment. They mention active projects such as Nation Village, Homestead South, and Legacy Village, some of which have been delayed in construction. They also provide projections of how many units are expected to be built and the rates they will use to apply to those units. Overall, the speaker projects an increase in student enrollment over the next 10 years due to the continued development in the area.
00:10:00 In this section of the Newhall School District Board Meeting on March 28, 2023, the district’s zoning strategy was discussed, with particular focus on the study areas in The Meadows and Hungry areas. The Board presented information regarding historical enrollment, projections for the next seven years, and challenges with growth in the district. While the overall model showed growth in the district, there were concerns raised about the potential impact of long-term projects and developments on enrollment numbers, particularly in areas split by the freeway.
00:15:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the growth and decline of various areas in the district and how it affects the need for new schools. They explain how some areas show growth and others are declining, with two areas of net growth in the next seven years. The speaker emphasizes that even though some units may be pushed out, the need for new schools remains, although it might be at a later time. The speaker also mentions the importance of regularly updating projections and communicating with developers to stay informed of any changes.
00:20:00 In this section, a member of the public asks how the data for existing homes is collected and the presenter explains that they get a new snapshot of data each year and refresh the numbers. They gather information on home sales directly from the developers or the site business. The presenter also notes that the mobility factor of families is decreasing and fewer people move or relocate due to financial reasons. While this is good news for the district in terms of holding onto students, it does mean that there are fewer new families coming into the area.
00:25:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the difficulty of accurately forecasting growth factors in a small area, and they mention that typically 500 to 1000 units are needed to provide a realistic example. They also note that developers are watching what’s happening in the community and testing the market with condominiums, and that market shifts and trends in desires of the homebuyers can impact the accuracy of the forecast. The speaker also shares that they aim to be 1-2% accurate with their forecast, and that the first three years tend to be the most accurate while the accuracy decreases the further out they forecast.
00:30:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the school district’s demographics and how they have changed over the years. They mention that they have been using data from developers in Valencia to get an idea of what their student population will be like in the near future, and that they are hoping for more accurate numbers soon. They also mention that they have made adjustments to their projections due to an artificial event that caused kindergarten enrollment to drop, but they are now seeing a positive shift in enrollment. Additionally, they discuss the importance of considering school boundaries and how some districts are choosing to close schools or shift students around instead of closing schools altogether.
00:35:00 In this section of the Newhall School District Board Meeting, the board discusses the need to balance the schools in terms of thresholds and lessons. They also approve the 2022 civilian population report from Davis Demographics AI to support initiative services and transportation services plan for 2022-2024. The board then moves on to discuss the California Association of Bilingual Educators’ 12 module project aimed at supporting parent leadership and connection building in bilingual communities. Finally, the board brings up human resources and working with a company specializing in return-to-work accommodations.
00:40:00 In this section, the speaker discusses a contract that will be kept open for certain cases, but will primarily be used to support the district’s dreamer employee. The contract will cost around $2,000 and will only be utilized when an employee needs expertise in the areas covered by the contract. There were no questions or concerns from the board. The meeting ends shortly after.